Network Rail invest in Dumbarton bridges.(Network Rail)

Engineers are delivering a £7m rolling programme of investment in Dumbarton’s railway bridges as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

Work being done on the 11 structures is based on the condition and individual requirements of each bridge or tunnel but can include drainage work, deck replacements, steel strengthening, and painting.

To date work has been completed on 5 structures including addressing drainage issues within Dalreoch tunnel and the £1.2m refurbishment of Leven viaduct. Work on a further two structures at Buchanan Street, Dumbarton and Bank Street, Alexandria will be complete by the end of November taking the programme passed the half way point.

The bridge refurbishment work in the Dumbarton area is part of a wider rolling programme of maintenance on our structures which will extend their lifespan and keep both the road and rail network safe and reliable. Work on the remaining structures will be completed by 2019.

Throughout the work, Network Rail has worked with West Dunbartonshire council to put in place road closures and traffic management to support the safe delivery of the work on the bridges. Planning for work in 2018; which includes a £1m refurbishment of the railway bridge at Church Street Dumbarton, is already well advanced.

Billy McKay, Network Rail Programme Manager for the bridge refurbishments in the Dumbarton area said:

“We will shortly complete work on two of the bridges on the programme which takes us passed the half way point of the work to refurbish these structures in and around Dumbarton.

“We have a responsibility to maintain and preserve these bridges, not just for the safe and efficient operation of the railway, but also how they look in their setting for those travelling on the railway or on the road network below.

“The refurbishment of the bridges and tunnels helps ensure that they serve their purpose for decades to come as well as improving their appearance in the communities they serve. While we appreciate that road closures is inconvenient, we are grateful for the patience of the local community as we deliver this important investment in the railway.

“We are sure that the improvements on these structures will be welcomed by the many people who drive under them, or travel over them by rail.”